Appearing for the second time this year, after a number of years
absence in the Listener series, was Hotspur, one of the few setters
based outside the UK. A largish grid and an above average number of
clues made this a tough challenge, but we were rewarded with the
discovery of a rather interesting anagram.

The correct letters in clues spelt out the following rhyming couplet:

Located on the farther side
Where trains with other trains collide

which is a quasi-cryptic clue to TRANSNISTRIA (an anagram of TRAINS +
TRAINS), which could be seen using one set of clashing lettters on the
main diagonal. The other set of clashing letters spelt out OVER THE
RIVER, which was to be written below the grid. The river in question is
the Dniester, (an anagram of Resident), which gives the
“nistria” element in the name of the region between UKRAINE
and MOLDOVA, which also appeared diagonally in the grid and had to be
highlighted.

Gregson was curious to know if the rhyming couplet came from a larger
work, but could not find any reference to the lines, and so wondered if
Hotspur created them for the occasion.